About Time
by shanfourteen
Summary: James gets a thought and Duke thinks it's just a road trip. Nathan and Audrey make sure they don't get into trouble.
1. Chapter 1

**When I had the idea of this story, I thought it would be one for my Hearts of Haven fic but as it kept growing in words(!), I realised that it would be better suited for a chaptered fic, and that way I could write more in. So, in regards to that, I hope you guys enjoy! :)**

 **(Also, none of these characters mine (in this chapter at least, anyway) and are all rightfully Syfy's and co.)**

~/xx\~

James heard the story on the one of the many nights the four of them were the only people left in the Gull, the time when Duke had a baby and couldn't be near her unless he wanted to rapidly age until he was no longer. They'd gotten onto the topic of the times Nathan and Duke had been affected by a different kind of Trouble than their own and James had found this one was the most difficult for them to talk about. All three of them, despite Duke's jokes, Nathan's little laughs and Audrey's roll of the eyes, were struggling to get through the story.

"I've, uh, I've still got the photo of her on my phone," Duke said quietly, taking a gulp of his drink.

Nathan looked at him for a moment before focusing in on his beer. "It was one of the weirdest one's we'd dealt with at that point, that's for sure."

"Those were the days," Duke said, his tone a mixture of mournfulness and sadness. They'd left that night with forced smiles and the clinking of glasses ringing in their ears.

It's two days later and there's a reason James is sitting in front of his parents at his kitchen table with an eager look on his face. "I've got an idea."

Nathan meets Audrey's eyes and Audrey meets his. "You do?" he says slowly.

James nods. "The Troubles are over, right?" He pauses for effect. "So why can't we bring baby Jean here so Duke can see her?"

His parents don't say anything for a moment, and James is sure they're telepathically deliberating with each other. "That sounds like a wonderful thing to do," Audrey says eventually. She turns to Nathan. "The family in Nebraska that adopted her, they knew that her real parents couldn't look after her, but maybe if we tell them that he'd like to see her, they might say yes?" It sounds weak coming out of her mouth.

Nathan's eyebrows crease and he takes a swig of the coffee James had already placed before they'd gotten there. "They can't make a 25 hour trip for that only," he starts once he's swallowed. "What if we call them up and ask if _we_ can visit them?"

"We're going on a road trip with Duke Crocker?" Audrey and James ask simultaneously.

Nathan shakes his head in amusement, but he's smiling. "It looks like."

Audrey manages to find the phone number of the couple who took in Jean and the phone call goes without a hiccup, and she almost thinks it's too good to be true. She also books them a motel in Lincoln, because with the drive being more than a day without stops, she knows they're going to be wrecked once they arrive. She told Jean's family that they'd be there on the 16th, which gives them plenty of time to make it there. They decide to tell Duke the basics; they're going a road trip and he can't ask questions.

"You know my birthday isn't for a few months, right?" he says, his eyes sparkling. Nathan's come in on his lunch break to tell him and he's beginning to wonder why he didn't bring Audrey with him.

"As if we'd give you a road trip with us for your birthday," Nathan retorts. "Can you manage to take a few days off?"

"I'm the boss, Nathan. I can do whatever the hell I want."

Nathan rolls his eyes. "We leave tomorrow. Pack light."

Duke pauses the wiping down of one of the benches in the Gull. The bartender he paid to bartend had called in sick. For the third day in a row. "We're not taking the Death Machine, are we?"

"If by Death Machine, you mean the Bronco, no, we're not taking it."

"Thank all that is holy," Duke says, earning a glare from that Nathan he knows all too well. "What?" he asks, managing to shrug and continue the wiping down in one fluid movement. "I'd actually like to live to my next birthday."

"The Bronco would make it," Nathan says defiantly, though he's unsure as to whether he's trying to persuade Duke or himself.

"Where?"

"No questions, Crocker." Nathan knows Duke is taking a dig at the Bronco _again_ while also trying to trick him. He's been around him for a long time, and knows all of his ways. Unfortunately, at times.

Duke smirks and holds up his hands in surrender. "Sorry, sorry." He throws the dishcloth in the sink behind him. "Am I meeting you two at your house or are you picking me up from the ' _Rouge'_?"

"Three," Nathan corrects. "James is coming, too."

"Whose car _are_ we taking?"

"James'."

"Tell me he's not driving."

"You're complaining a lot for someone who's being _asked_ to come on this trip."

Duke rolls his eyes. "You wouldn't have asked me if you didn't want me there. Suffice to say, you wouldn't be going without me."

Nathan's face twitches. "Right. Self-importance has always been one of your qualities."

"Someone needs to care." Duke shrugs again. "I'll meet you at your house at 9?"

He nods slowly and turns, heading towards the door. "You're not the only one who cares about you!" he throws over his shoulder.

"Don't I know it," Duke mutters to no one in particular.

~/xx\~

"I told you to pack _light_ ," Nathan grumbles when Duke rocks up on their porch the following morning with two bags. He gestures to them. "This is the opposite."

Duke holds up a matching finger for each number he states. "One; I have no idea where we're going. I needed to come prepared. Two; one of these bags is mostly filled with snacks. Three; I lied. One of them is _completely_ filled with snacks." He snatches the bag when Nathan goes to take it. "Mine, Nathan. These are mine."

"I was going to put them in the car for you," Nathan tells him, somewhat exasperated already.

"Can I trust you with my bag of snacks?"

"Do I really want to rot my teeth and have them fall out before I turn 40?" he counters.

"Good point." Duke hands Nathan the bags. "Go for it." He steps passed him and enters the house. "I'll annoy your family while you do that."

Duke finds James first, who's dressed in his signature flannelette shirt, jeans, and boots, with a smile on his face. He's also got what looks to be a bomber jacket draped across his arm. "You know where we're going, don't you?"

"My idea."

"So, if it all goes to hell, you're to blame?"

James crinkles his eyes. "Don't be a downer, Duke. This is going to be good."

"What is?"

He shrugs. "Not telling."

"And that's the way it's staying until we get there, Duke," Audrey says from behind him. She's coming down the stairs with a suitcase filled with enough to fit in two. James takes it from his mom and heads out towards the door to give it to his father.

"You must have missed the memo to pack light," he tells her.

"From what I heard, you did, too," she replies with a grin, heading into the kitchen. Duke follows her, pulling out a bottle of water from the fridge as she rearranges the contents of the cooler sitting on the table.

"Who doesn't need snacks?" he says around a mouthful of liquid.

"Who doesn't need diabetes?"

"You and Nathan have been hanging around each other too much."

"It would be weird if we didn't," Audrey says. "Considering, you know, we're married and we work together."

"Isn't that a conflict of interest or whatever?"

"No, a conflict of interest would be one of us arresting you."

"But that would never happen, would it?"

"Because you're an angel, right?" Nathan asks rhetorically, coming into the kitchen with James right behind him.

"You said it, not me."

James rolls his eyes and his father shakes his head. "We ready to go?"

"Where?" Duke asks.

"Not telling," three voices say at once.

"I'll get at least one of you eventually." Duke waggles his eyebrows. "I have at _least_ a few hours."

"I'm driving first," James says, grabbing the cooler on his way past them and Duke's comments.

Duke groans as he follows him out. "Nathan, control your kid. He can't drive," he throws over his shoulder.

"It's my car!" James exclaims as they take the porch steps. "What do even have against my driving? You've never been in a car with me!"

"By deliberate choice!" Duke returns. "You spent 30 years in a Barn, cars have changed _a lot_ since then."

James rolls his eyes, placing the cooler in the back of the car and closing the door. "Just watch me," he snarks, grinning.

"You two should really act your age." Audrey and Nathan stand on their porch. They have identical looks on their faces and are both crossing their arms.

"If James did that, he'd need a cane." Duke laughs to himself.

The insulted punches Duke in the arm. "Just because you're jealous you won't look this good at 60."

"Get in the car, children," Nathan calls out.

"I'm calling shotgun," Duke says, pulling open the car door and sliding into the passenger seat. He changes the radio station to one he listens to. "Parents are relegated to the back seat."

James joins him in the front while Nathan and Audrey take the back. "You know which way to go?" Audrey asks her son.

He nods. "Yeah, I looked it up on the interwebs before I came here." He holds up a piece of paper in his hand. "I also have a map."

Duke snorts. "Who calls it the 'interwebs'?" He doesn't let anybody answer. "Oh, right. People born in the '50's."

James doesn't humour him, because he knows he did it on purpose but Duke doesn't. He just rolls his eyes and pulls out of the driveway. They pass by the _Welcome to Haven_ sign a few minutes later and then they're off to Nebraska.

Their first pit stop is in Concord, New Hampshire for numerous reasons. It's around four hours away from Haven so James pulls into a gas station to check his map while Audrey goes for a toilet break. Nathan asks James if they want to swap which James agrees to. He subtly shows his father the way he mapped out on the map itself, away from Duke's prying eyes. Putting it in his back pocket, James takes the seat his mother had been sitting in while Nathan takes the driver's seat just as Audrey comes back. Another reason is because it's one o'clock in the afternoon, they're all hungry. Audrey delves into the cooler and pulls out four sandwiches. She made them the night before but they're as fresh as anything. She even made them all their favourites, even Duke who most of the time complains about the fact that she used the wrong lettuce. The last reason is in Duke's rush to pack a bag filled with snacks, he didn't bring drinks. And he refuses to drink anything that's in the Wuornos' cooler. He comes out of the gas station with a multitude of different concoctions, the most normal one being green tea.

"Don't drink it all at once," Audrey warns, amusement written in her eyes, when he slides into the back seat.

"I'm sure if I need to go, I'll use one of the empty bottles," he returns.

James groans from beside Duke. "You'll leave the car to do your business, please."

Duke shrugs. "I'll let you know."

The next town on James' marked map is Syracuse in New York, a solid five and a bit hours from Concord, though Duke needed a toilet break in Albany when he was halfway through his collection of drinks. The bag of snacks had been touched by everyone, with Duke decreeing that he couldn't finish it all by himself.

"Big of you to admit that, Duke," Nathan says from the front seat while James puts some more gas in the car. He has a self-satisfied smirk on his face that's visible despite the pop tart in his mouth.

"I thought I should share the rotting teeth around," Duke replies. "Sharing is caring and all that."

Audrey's in the passenger seat still, a muesli bar half eaten in her hand. She had a minor nap from Albany but woke up 20 minutes out from Syracuse. Her cheek is red from where she rested her head on the seatbelt, and Duke's already told her it looks funny. It's why there's now a mark on Duke's uncovered knee in the shape of handprint.

"Where did you hear that saying?" Nathan asks. "I had no idea it was in your vocabulary."

"Guess hanging out with you at a young age made me hear stupid things."

Nathan rolls his eyes. "Right."

James is back in the car a few seconds later, having replaced Audrey in the passenger seat while she went to the driver's seat. It leaves Duke and Nathan in the back together, which is probably the stupid idea they've had yet.

~/xx\~

 **If you enjoyed, be sure to let me know! (:**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey, guys! Another chapter here so I hope you enjoy. :)**

 **As always, none of these characters are mine (except for one!) and all rightfully Syfy's and co.**

~/xx\~

Audrey manages to get them to Cleveland, Ohio alive. Somehow. They make it through three separate games of corners, where Duke took his seatbelt off and crashed into Nathan as hard as he could, even though most of the roads they were on were _straight_. They make it through Nathan taking Duke's last KitKat, which was melted so much that it was barely recognisable, and the undeniable grin of a winner that didn't belong to a pirate. They make it through threats of _I'll push you into Lake Erie_ and _I'm gonna sink the Rouge when we get back_ to _the Gull has the worst dinner menu I've ever seen_ and _you're the worst cop I've ever had arrest me_. At one point, James has to turn around and shout at them to make them argue quieter. He's lucky he gets that but he's able to get a few hours of sleep, even if it's still a little interrupted.

"How're your voice boxes?" Audrey asks when she turns around after turning the car off.

Duke's got his arms crossed, a smile on his face and his leg deliberately touching Nathan's. Nathan has his arms crossed, a scowl on his face and his body pushed up against the car door as close as he can.

"Wonderful," Duke answers at the same time Nathan mutters, "Never better."

"Well, I hope you guys can live without sharing space for a few hours. James is driving again which means one of you lot is coming into the passenger seat."

They've been driving for 14 hours and the daylight dissipated a few hours ago. The brightness of the gas station they're parked at can barely be classed as light and James' toilet escapade almost ends with him on the ground and grazes on his knees. He keeps his feet, though, and manages to make it to the car unscathed. Duke's now in the front, his half-full bag of snacks at his feet and his remaining three drinks beside him. He hasn't slept at all yet, which makes sense because he hasn't even touched the driving wheel.

It's almost as if Duke can read his mind. They only get 20 minutes out of Cleveland when Duke asks, "When can I drive?"

"You can drive on the way home," James tells him.

"From where?"

"You'll find out soon enough."

The next city marked on James' map is a place called Fort Wayne in Indiana. He doesn't stop the car until he finds a little 24 hour diner a few minutes out, and the smile on his face when he sees it makes Duke incredibly curious.

"You dream about this place or something, buddy?" he asks.

James shakes his head as he manoeuvres the car into a parking space right out the front. "Arla and I," he begins before falling silent. He clears his throat, throwing the car in park and turning off the ignition. He starts again. "Arla and I came here on our way to Haven from Colorado all those years ago. When I was in the Barn, this place stuck in my mind. I think it might have been the last genuine time we were happy together."

Duke's a little taken aback at the sudden seriousness but he squeezes James' shoulder after a momentary freeze. "You've got us now, kid." He unclicks his seatbelt and turns around to look at Audrey and Nathan. Audrey's asleep on Nathan's shoulder and Nathan's head is resting on hers. They look peaceful, and not for the first time, Duke is glad they're still around. "Oi," he says, shaking Nathan's leg. "Your son wants us to have dinner at two in the morning."

Audrey makes a sound between a groan and a mumbled curse word but her eyes open slowly. Her movements cause Nathan to wake up, too, and before long the four of them are out of the car and stretching their legs.

"Won't they remember you?" Duke asks as they make their way up the front steps.

"I hope not," he answers, a nervous laugh escaping his throat. "It's been 30 odd years."

"What if you use a fake name if something happens?" Duke says and despite the fact that Duke was kind of joking, they all agree.

They're placed at a booth by a waitress called Ursula. She's a little over middle aged and has bags under her eyes as if she never goes home but she has a kind face. It's when James orders what Duke assumes to be the same thing he ordered 30 years that something happens.

"You know," Ursula begins, tapping the pen she's holding against the pad she's using to write their orders, "you look awfully familiar. Just wait here a moment." She's gone and back within 20 seconds, in which time the quartet share equal looks of panic. Duke's stomach hits the floor when he looks at what she's showing them.

It's a photo of James and Arla with a date stamp of _1980_ on the back of it. Their names are written in flowy script beside it.

"It can't be you," Ursula says slowly when no one else speaks because their throats have closed up or they've forgotten how. None of them are with it enough to know. "Parents, maybe?"

James nods so fast Duke has to nudge his knee under the table to remind him to act normal. "Yeah, parents. I'm, uh, Tim. That's James and Arla. They told me about this place so I just had to check it out." He points awkwardly to the pad of paper. "He said the bacon and egg sandwich was the best he'd ever tasted."

Ursula smiles, taking the photo off a slack jawed Nathan and putting in her pocket. "He's not wrong. Hasn't changed in 40 years." She turns to Nathan and Audrey. "What can I get for you?"

The rest of them order and because it's 2:30 in the morning, they're the only ones in the diner. Their food comes out 20 minutes later and Duke almost wants to marry James. He'd never say it, though, because he'd obviously marry Nathan first. The food is _incredible_ and Duke wants to steal the chef for the Gull.

"We'd better get going," Nathan says when they're in food comas and unable to move. James has had three glasses of orange juice which must have been filled to the brim with sugar because his leg won't stop shaking annoyingly under the table.

Audrey's hand is up before Duke can even utter a sound. "No. The rule was no questions."

Nathan leaves a few notes on the table as he stands and starts towards the door. "Thank you, Ursula," he calls. The rest of them follow him out, the automatic light of the diner silhouetting their forms as they make their way to the car. It's James and Duke in the back again while Nathan drives. Audrey turns to her son as Nathan pulls back out onto the main road. "Why on Earth do they have a photo of you and Arla in the diner?"

James shrugs a little sheepishly. "That part may have slipped my mind," he answers.

Audrey just shakes her head, amused. "Not the weirdest situation, that's for sure."

They don't see a car for the first hour after leaving the diner but it starts getting a little busier an hour out from their next stop. The three passengers find sleep during this part of the trip, which allows Nathan some much needed quiet time with intervals where only one of them were awake.

"Were you _trying_ to be ironic?" Duke asks James when he sees the sign of the town. He's been awake for around 30 seconds.

"Do you _try_ to be annoying?" James counters.

"Seriously, though, James. Did you do it on purpose?" It's Nathan who asks the question.

"The question should be how could I _not_ do it on purpose."

The town of Normal, Illinois isn't all that special but any town looks brilliant when you're coming through it at 7 o'clock in the morning. Duke notices three different Starbucks opening their doors and James points out that there'll be no lines. Nathan parks the car at the last one, handing Duke and James some cash.

"Coffee," he warns. "Just proper coffee for us."

The duo head into the building, their faces mirroring each other. "As if," Duke's grinning while James', "Does he not know us?" is spoken through a wide smile. They both take a bathroom break while they wait for the drinks and they're ready as soon as they're both out. There's no change when they return to the car. James hands his mom a cinnamon and coffee bean concoction while Duke went all the way and ordered Nathan something that was mostly froth.

"I, uh, I think there's coffee in there somewhere," he tells him, placing the cup in his hand.

"Trust and Duke Crocker don't seem to go hand in hand," Nathan almost growls.

Duke pats him on the shoulder. "You're just tired, buddy."

Nathan rolls his eyes, resists the urge to throw the liquid all over him and slides into the passenger seat. "I'll make sure I get some sleep, then," he says.

It's Audrey's turn to drive now which again leaves Duke and James in the back, stupid grins on their faces still. Duke's snacks disappeared during the drive to Fort Wayne which leaves them starving halfway to the next stop. They pass over the Iowa-Illinois around the 24 hour mark since they first left Haven and three hours later, after numerous breaks for Duke who'd bought himself a large green tea at Starbucks, they pull into a town called Ottumwa. It's almost midday to the second when Audrey finds a restaurant for lunch. She has to wake Nathan when they're parked, who's been asleep since five minutes out of Normal.

"How much longer to wherever we're going?" Duke asks, sliding his chair in closer to the table. It makes squeaks against the marble floor, earning looks from a few other patrons.

"Next and final stop, actually," James answers.

"Are we even going to be able to enjoy whatever is waiting for us?" There's a tiredness seeping out of his voice and the bags under his eyes look similar to the others. They've been on the road for hours and it's starting to show.

Audrey nods slowly. "We aren't technically supposed to be there until the 16th, and today's the 14th which means we'll have plenty of time tomorrow to get back to normal."

The waiter comes, then, and takes their orders, disappearing and coming back in a few minutes with their drinks.

They're quiet for a while, a comfortable silence as James people watches, Audrey stares into her drink and Nathan steals glances at Duke, who's ripping the label off his drink into tiny little pieces.

"Why'd we take a car when we could've taken a plane?" Duke asks, rearranging the fragmented label into a word not for public consumption.

Nathan reaches over and scatters the pieces as he replies. "When was the last time you flew?" He amends a few moments later, "Excluding the time you went to Colorado with Audrey."

Duke doesn't say anything for a moment. "1992."

Nathan nods. "Little League trip to Vermont. We were nine and thought it was the best thing that had ever happened to us. The flight over there was fine. We spent a few days brushing up our skills."

"It was the flight home," Duke says, looking up at Nathan. "Turbulence was horrible, and I thought we were done for."

"You'd looked as green as a cucumber when we landed." Nathan smiles. "And you swore you'd never fly again."

"I heard this story a while ago," James begins and his eyes are twinkling, "yet I still can't wrap my head around the fact that you live on a _boat_ yet you can't be in a plane."

"I know how to swim, mini Wuornos, I don't know how to fly," Duke retorts.

"That makes far more sense than I'd like to admit," James says.

"You could always just have a parachute in your carry-on," Audrey suggests, and they're all still rolling their eyes when the food arrives. They spend an hour and a half at the restaurant, filling their stomachs and getting some much needed time out of the car. At one point, James asks Duke why he flew to Colorado despite his hatred for flying and because curiosity's never killed _him._

"Couldn't show a pretty lady weakness," Duke says, shrugging.

"You know I told her, right?" Nathan's got a smirk on his face. "The minute she came back."

"I figured as much," he returns.

"The fact that you almost tore the armrest off also twigged my senses," Audrey adds lightly. "But you never mentioned it so I left it."

"Honourable," Duke says, throwing a pointed look at Nathan. "You on the other hand, not so much."

Duke and James get something after their lunch; two sundaes with cherries on top though Nathan and Audrey steal them before the other two can even touch their spoons.

~/xx\~

 **Don't forget to let me know if you enjoyed it! (:**


	3. Chapter 3

**OH MY GOD. I AM SO SORRY.**

 **I can't believe it's been so long since I updated this, and I am so sorry. I hope you enjoy this one and as always, these characters are not mine and are rightfully Syfy and co's.**

~/xx\~

It's James' turn to drive again once they're in the car and they head out of Ottumwa until James pulls into a gas station to fill up the car. Duke buys them all a snack because Nathan tells him they're still at least 4 hours away from their end destination. None of them sleep on the way, James obviously driving, Duke curious as to where they're going and Nathan and Audrey spending endless amounts of time glancing nervously at each other, their faces filled with panic they try to hide from Duke. James and Duke converse in the front, mostly about the illegal things Duke's managed to smuggle into Haven, while Audrey and Nathan pipe up when they can from the back, not all that focused on the conversation.

The truth is, they have no idea what's gonna happen when Duke sees a Welcome to Nebraska sign. Audrey and Nathan know him far too well for them to think he won't remember, that he won't remember that his only kid lives in Nebraska. And in the end, they're right. They pass over the Iowa-Nebraska border within three and a half hours and the entire car goes still. Cold and still as if the afternoon sun isn't bearing down on them.

"What, uh, what are we doing here?" Duke asks. The question's rhetorical. He's know what they're doing there but he can't grasp the concept of understanding it. He feels like he's in free fall, unprepared for something that he thinks he never will be.

"Jean's parents live in Lincoln, Duke."

"Obviously," he says and it's so close to a snap. "Why?"

James speaks from beside him. His eyes are still on the road but he's also focused on the panicking Duke in the passenger seat. "The Troubles are over now, Duke, which means that you being in her proximity won't make you rapidly age." He pauses for a moment. "You can be in your daughter's life now."

Duke's fingernails are digging into his skin from one hand as he grabs the armrest of the car with the other. "Why would I want that?" There's so much in his voice and Nathan can't decipher any of it. It's only when Duke speaks again that he begins to understand. "Why would I do that to her?"

They're around an hour out from their motel rooms but James isn't sure Duke can make it that far. This isn't going at all to plan, the one that he had in his mind. "Duke, you do realise that having you in our lives isn't a burden, right?"

It's James that says it but Audrey reaches from the backseat and squeezes his shoulder. "You can't be thinking that at all. Jean's going to be lucky to have you her life."

Duke's as white as a sheet. "I, I don't understand how you could have thought this was a good idea!"

"You'll get to meet your daughter!" James defends.

"When I showed you that picture," Audrey begins, her voice soft, "the day I told you about her, your face told me everything I needed to know. Even if your words were saying something else. You _cared_ , and we know that you thought about her every day."

"Thinking about someone is far different than meeting her," Duke counters. "I was fine knowing she was safe, and being cared for."

Nathan speaks for the first time since passing the Nebraska border. "Remember the year we graduated? You'd barely scraped in enough to pass but you rocked up in the gown and hat. I'm pretty sure you had surf shorts and flip flops on underneath but you were still there. And even though we were supposed to be in alphabetical order, where there's no possible way we could have ever stood together, you sidled up to me with the biggest smile I'd ever seen painted on your face. You patted me on the back and whispered in my ear. You said-"

Duke cuts him off, his voice quiet but strong enough to carry all around the car. " _The future isn't ready for us_."

"You were absolutely one hundred percent right back then," Nathan murmurs, reaching forward to squeeze Duke's shoulder. "But now you're not. You're ready to be in your daughter's life, Duke, even though you can't be her father."

Duke's silent for a moment, Nathan's words sinking in despite his begrudging reluctance to not let it. Nathan may hate public speaking but he's damn good at it. He finally nods. "We'll see how it goes, then." He meets Nathan's eyes in the mirror of his visor, which is down because Duke wanted it to be despite the fact that it's basically dark out. "And I wasn't even wearing surf shorts."

"Please tell me you at least didn't go commando," Nathan groans, his head in his hands. "I _hugged_ you."

"That would have been your fault, but, no, I didn't go commando," Duke says. "At least I wasn't wearing a _suit_."

"Every other boy in our grade was!"

"Wait a minute," James interrupts and he _actually takes his hands off the wheel to talk._ The other three shout and exclaim until they're safely back on and James' eyes have rolled so hard they're in the back of his head. An 'it's fine' may have been said as well, and Audrey's still glaring at her son when he continues. "You hugged Duke Crocker at _graduation_?"

The question's directed to his father but it's Duke who actually answers. "Of course he did. He hated me so much because he loved me." He adds, "And I think we should still talk about the suit he wore."

"You two have a seriously weird relationship," James says before Nathan can disagree with Duke's comments. He realises that he's probably right, though, and closes his mouth. He'd disagree just for the sake for it but Nathan knows at this point, Duke's just trying to think about something other than Nebraska.

"We're the true pairing in Haven," Duke grins and Nathan punches him in the shoulder while Audrey snorts. "Meant to be."

James shakes his head. "Seriously weird," he repeats.

"What would you do without your Uncle Duke?"

"I've never called you Uncle in my entire life," James says.

"Pity." The word comes out in Duke's typical tone but it's enough for the conversation to cease.

A comfortable silence envelops the car, then, until Duke turns the radio up and they find out that the station they're locked onto is playing _terrible_ dance music. They manage to make it to the motel, however, with minimal ear bleeding. From the music itself to the way that Duke was deliberately butchering every good song that played. At one point, James joined in and Audrey and Nathan had their hands on their door handles with the other ones poised at the seatbelt clickers.

James pulls into a car park after Audrey tells him which numbers their cabins are, the tyres making the gravel crunch under the weight of the car. Nathan and Audrey pile out first, decreeing that they're going to get the keys but leaving James and Duke to pull out the luggage.

"They did that deliberately," Duke states matter-of-factly, rolling his eyes as he slides out of the passenger seat. Literally. His knees are bended when his feet hit the ground.

James nods as they meet at the back of the car. "Of course they did." He pulls open the door and the two of them grab hold of the bags. There's only four large ones so they each pick two and yank. Once they're on the shared porch of the two rooms, Duke tells James he's going for a walk.

"It's dark," James says, his eyebrows furrowed in a way that makes him look like his father.

"I'll be fine," Duke replies, giving his friend a small smile. He makes his way around the back of the building and James waits until his parents return, sitting on a wooden chair just outside the door of cabin number 3 with his chin resting in the palm of his hand.

Nathan's face doesn't show surprise when he counts only one as the two of them step up on to the porch. Audrey hands the key to his and Duke's room to James as Nathan asks, "Which way did he go?"

James gestures in the direction with his pointer finger. "That way," he says.

Despite not being on duty, Nathan has his gun in its holster on his hip and he ghosts it as he traces Duke's imaginary footsteps, feeling the wall of the building with his other hand. Once he no longer feels it, he pulls out his phone and flicks the flashlight on. "Duke!" he calls. The flashlight's showing barely a foot in front of him and he's hoping desperately he doesn't stand on a stray rock. He yells out Duke's name again when he doesn't get a reply.

Duke's voice seems a fair bit away when he answers. "I'm down here, Nathan!"

Nathan follows the sound and through the light, he discovers Duke found a tiny cliff. "You didn't fall, did you?" he calls down, edging his way slightly closer.

Duke's snort travels up to him. "Of course not, but I appreciate your worry!"

The flashlight finally finds Duke and Nathan sees him sitting on a stone that creates another mini cliff, as if this entire mountain has a stair case leading up to the motel they're staying in. Duke's feet are dangling off the side and Nathan makes his way down, taking a seat beside him and placing his phone flashlight skyward. It creates enough light, paired with the moon's, for them to see each other.

"What're you doing down here, Duke?" Nathan asks when he doesn't speak.

"Thinking," Duke muses after a silence, his gaze turned toward the stars.

"Not too hard, I hope," Nathan quips back and it earns him the corners of Duke's mouth tilting upward.

"Never." Duke sighs. "I get what you said back in the car," he continues after another pause. Nathan doesn't say anything in between, because he knows that Duke's trying to wrap his head around this whole situation. And from previous experiences, he also knows that it helps his friend when he's able to talk it through. "I really do. But I can't get passed the idea of my daughter _knowing_ me at all. The times of the Troubles were tough, seriously _will-we-ever-make-it-out-alive_ tough, but when I thought of Jean, I knew that wherever she was, she'd be okay. Because I was still alive and the Crocker family curse was still in _me_. And if we'd never gotten rid of them, I would have sacrificed myself for her. I really would have." He runs a hand through his hair and his legs are kicking the solid rock underneath them as he swings them. "I accepted those terms and never thought about the other possibilities."

"And now you have to think about the other possibilities," Nathan supplies for him.

Duke glances at him. "You really do know me well," he says and there's no bite of sarcasm in his tone.

"I can't help it," Nathan admits. "Whatever you decide, because it's ultimately up to you, we're here. Honestly."

"I think I've known that for a while," Duke says with small smile. "Besides, we have the entire day tomorrow for me to mull it over."

"You'll make the right choice." Nathan's voice is determined. He stands up then, dusting off his hands on his jean clad thighs before bending to pick up his phone. He offers his other hand to Duke, who takes it without a second thought, and he pulls him to his feet. They climb up the mini cliffs in silence and it's not until they reach the building that Duke speaks.

"Please tell me we aren't having wild coyote for dinner, because I swear I heard one howling before you arrived."

Nathan shakes his head, a wry smile on his face. "I can't say I've asked the others but I'm sure it won't be that."

Audrey and James are still on the porch when they return, but they've each got a mug in their hands.

"Yours are in the cabin," Audrey says with a gesture to her and Nathan's room. He heads into get them while Duke takes a seat on the wooden floor beside James' chair.

Nathan comes back a few seconds later, passing the mug to Duke. "Duke wants wild coyote for dinner," he says.

"Because that's exactly what I said." Duke narrows his eyes at Nathan, who's got his usual ever-since-the-Troubles-disappeared-and-we-survived grin on his face.

"We'll go for a drive and see if we can find a restaurant or something," James says from around a mouthful of hot chocolate. He swallows before speaking again, looking pointedly at Duke. "I put your bag in our room so you're welcome."

Duke pats James' leg as a thank you. He takes a sip of his drink and hums. "This, this is good."

"I told you, I make the best hot chocolate in all of Maine."

"U.S," Nathan and Duke correct her at the same time.

James groans, gulping the last of his drink down in two mouthfuls. "I'll be in the car." He places the mug on the table, throws his dad the keys and climbs into the passenger side while Nathan struggles to catch the thrown object without spilling his drink. He manages somehow but Duke pokes him in his side on his way into the cabin and the liquid gold drip-drops onto the ground.

"You get no food," he drawls, unceremoniously licking the side of the mug and joining Duke inside.

"I will get lots of food," Duke counters. He takes Nathan's now empty cup and rinses the three cups out, placing them on the dish drainer upside down.

Audrey taps on the wall of the cabin and throws them her own cup before saying anything. "Catch," she says as it makes contact with Nathan's hands.

"Sure," Duke says, taking it from Nathan and dunking it in the water. He does the same to her cup and the two of them join Audrey and James in the car.

"I didn't know you knew how to wash dishes, Duke," James says as Audrey starts the ignition.

"I own a restaurant, junior. You can't give a paying customer a plate with leftover food on it even though the people you pay to wash dishes aren't there." He waggles his eyebrows.

"I get really disappointed when the things you say make sense."

"Makes two of us. I like being mysterious all the time."

"I don't know if mysterious is the right word," Nathan says, earning a knee nudge from Duke.

Audrey finds the main road a few minutes after pulling out from their motel and the three passengers stare out their respective windows, trying to find somewhere to eat. A car behind them toots at one point and Duke attempts to flip them off only to be halted by a disapproving look from Nathan. James makes a sound between an exclaimed _there!_ and a groan when he headbutts the glass a few seconds later.

"We raised you well," Audrey says, barely containing her laughter. It comes through when Duke and Nathan laugh, though, and James pouts, crossing his arms in a sulk.

She turns off the road and into the car park the restaurant provides. They're in and seated within a few minutes, the restaurant not lacking in efficiency. They are, however, lacking in comfortable chairs and Duke complains for most of the night. The rest of it goes off without a hitch. Duke orders the most, and expensive, food on the menu, his face an _I told you so_ to Nathan. James drinks one too many mimosas but decrees that he hasn't, while sipping another.

Duke helps James out of the restaurant around eleven, laughing as James complains about the bump on his head while Nathan pays the bill. He unlocks the car and shoves him inside the backseat, throwing the keys onto the drivers seat before making sure James is secured in his seat belt. Audrey and Nathan come out a moment later and then they're on their way back to the motel.

~/xx\~

 **Don't forget to let me know what you think. (: And again, I'm so sorry. I will try very hard to make sure the gap won't be as long between chapters.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Oh my goodness, to whoever reads this, I am so dreadfully sorry it's been so long. I'm currently on a long break from my schooling at the moment so I hope to have this story finished by the time I head back.**

 **Because it has been so long, I'll do a quick recap. Duke, James, Audrey and Nathan have taken a roadtrip to see Duke's daughter Jean and they've arrived at their destination. However, because they're roadweary, they're taking the extra day to relax at their motel. Well, trying being the operative word. Oh! And James had a little bit too much to drink yesterday and is nursing a nasty hangover, much to everyone's amusement. This is somewhat of a filler chapter because I just can't help myself with this four and banter/heartfelt moments.**

 **In any case, I hope you enjoy and again, I am so sorry!**

 **Also none of these characters are mine, and are all rightfully Syfy and co's!**

~/xx\~

Duke wakes to the sounds of James groaning and the creaking of his bed as he rolls around in it. The sunlight's streaming through the window, directly onto the pillow that belongs to James. Duke made sure he dumped James' passed out body there last night, and he's grinning as he slowly opens his eyes.

"Why?" James' question is one drawn out, muffled word and Duke looks over at him, unsurprised to find his head buried in his pillow.

"You can't blame anybody but yourself, buddy," Duke tells him, standing up and walking over to his bed. He sits down with unnecessary force, causing the mattress to bounce.

James mumbles a curse word before rolling over. "I didn't do anything embarrassing last night, did I?"

Duke holds up a close fist. "One," he says and his pinkie rises, "you tripped over the porch steps and almost took me down with you. Two, you almost kicked me in the head when I was taking your shoes off. Three, you insulted me _and_ told me you loved me in the same sentence. Four, you snored for the first hour that you slept." His thumb joins his other fingers. "Five, you threw pillows at me when I told you to be quiet."

"That's nothing compared to my _head_ ," James returns and Duke rolls his eyes.

"You did that before you had the alcohol, so I'm sure the alcohol didn't help."

A knock at their door stops James from saying anything else and Audrey and Nathan step into their room.

"How are we feeling this fine morn?" Nathan asks lightly, his eyes bright with amusement. The two of them makes their way to James' bed.

"Nebraskan alcohol _sucks_."

"All alcohol sucks in the morning, kid," Nathan says, patting his son on the head.

James groans. "I blame you."

"We made sure you didn't go completely overboard," Audrey says with a smile. She leans forward to put some aspirin in James' hand.

"Do we have anything planned today?" Duke asks.

Nathan shakes his head. "Try to get rid of feeling like we're always in a car, probably."

"The motel has a pool," James mumbles, his arm covering his mouth.

"We could do that."

In the end, Duke and Nathan spend some time in the pool after lunch while James complains about his head draped across a lawn chair on the side, sunglasses and a wide-brimmed hat protecting him from the very bright overcast sky. Audrey eventually joins the elder two in the water when the sun starts to make an appearance. She also has to act as a mediator when Duke splashes Nathan so much that he almost spear tackles him under the water. Audrey steps in between them.

"You're children. How did you ever survive without me?" She rolls her eyes. "Play nice."

Duke finds a ball sometime around the afternoon and they split the pool in half, making James manoeuvre himself and the lawn chair around until his body marks the middle. They alternate playing with the other person refereeing. They get out around tea time and have to bug James for five minutes before he tells them he'll join them for dinner.

"If it comes back up, it's not my fault," he warns.

They change out of their wet clothes and then head into the diner part of the motel. It only has five booth seats against the wall and then a counter with stools but it looks nice enough, plus the food is free because they're staying there. Someone comes to take their orders as soon as they've sat down and then it's just the four of them. James is leaning on his hand, his face masking none of his amusing discomfort.

"What time are we going there tomorrow?" Duke speaks up first, and Nathan knows that despite mucking around today, it's been on his mind the entire time.

"Morning," Audrey answers. "Jean still has afternoon naps 'cause she wakes up so early. We'll leave here at about 8:30."

Duke tries to hide his deep breath but it's unsuccessful. "You've decided?" Nathan says, not unkindly.

"It's obviously terrifying but I know that I'll regret it if I don't," he answers after a moment. He looks at James, who's sitting across from him, his head now resting on crossed arms. "Seems I owe you a thank you, mini Wuornos."

James waves his hand. "You're welcome," he says, lifting his head. "I knew it was something you'd have to be pushed into rather than decide on your own."

"That's why you kidnapped me and told me to ask no questions," Duke replies lightly.

"We had consent," Nathan states.

"My word against yours."

"I'm a police officer, you're a pirate."

"A _good_ pirate," Duke corrects.

"No such thing."

"I'm literally proof sitting right here."

Nathan's reply is cut off when their food arrives. They chat amongst themselves for the remainder of the night, calling it when Duke starts talking about the times he's managed to sneak things passed Nathan. Besides, the travelling (and James' big night) is catching up to them and they need the sleep for the following day.

But Duke can't seem to find it. He's been in bed for an hour, tossing and turning and listening to James snore but he still can't fall asleep. He sighs and slides out of bed, throwing his shoes on and heading for the door. There's two seats on the porch and he takes one of them, sinking into it. When they returned from lunch, Audrey parked the car around the side so all he sees is darkness and the stars.

"I owe Audrey five bucks," a voice says behind him, full of mirth and still thick with sleep. "I'll collect that from you tomorrow." Nathan's bare feet pad against the wooden floor as he makes his way to the other chair.

"How'd you know I was out here?" Duke asks.

He gestures to Duke's feet. "They make a louder noise than you'd think."

"Sorry," Duke apologises.

Nathan shrugs. "You're bothered by something."

"So you lose sleep over it too?" Duke shakes his head. "I don't think that's how it works."

"Tomorrow's gonna go fine," Nathan says instead, "I hope you know that."

"I'm nervous," Duke admits. "I've never been nervous in my life."

"You're meeting your daughter for the first time, it's natural." Nathan rolls his eyes. "And you've been nervous before."

"Must have blocked it out."

"You blocked out the first time you ever took the _Rouge_ out onto the open sea?"

Duke snorts. "I wasn't nervous, then."

Nathan narrows his eyes at him. "You were absolutely terrified you'd break it. You'd won it all by yourself, or so you thought back then, and you had no second boat. It was your chance to get out of Haven, your only chance, and you didn't want to stuff it up."

"You were on the pier," Duke remembers.

He nods. "You hadn't even told anybody you were leaving."

"Then how'd you know to be there?"

"I'm a detective, Duke." Nathan shrugs and Duke looks at him pointedly. "I overheard you talking about going fishing for some fish that I know don't live anywhere near the waters surrounding Haven."

"And the day?"

"I asked your landlord if you'd paid the rent, and he told me you'd paid a month in advance."

"Why'd you come?"

"Because I knew you wouldn't come back if I didn't."

Duke doesn't speak after this, just stares out into the darkness. They sit in silence for a few minutes, the only noise coming from James who's still asleep and clearly liking letting them know about it.

"I'm glad you were there," Duke says finally. His voice has nothing of its usual playfulness. "'Cause you're right, I would've kept going. And I'm glad you're here now, 'cause I don't know how tomorrow would go if you weren't."

Nathan squeezes Duke's shoulder. "You'd do the same thing for me."

"Everything okay out here?" Audrey's voice draws the both of them to the door way of the left cabin. She has her dressing gown wrapped around her and she's leaning against the door frame.

Nathan glances at Duke, who nods. They stand at the same time and Nathan heads towards his room while Duke goes to his.

"Night, Duke," Audrey says softly and Duke says it back as their respective doors shut. Duke's eyes are closed as soon as his head hits his pillow and he's asleep.

Duke's heart is in his throat the moment he's fully awake. James is already pottering around the cabin, having showered and dressed after waking up as soon as his alarm sounded. Duke checks the time on his phone and slowly gets out of bed.

"Talked to mom and dad this morning?" he asks James. He's tapping his foot against the linoleum of the kitchenette as he makes his breakfast.

James nods. "We're leaving in half an hour."

Duke snatches a bit of toast from James' plate as he walks passed and takes a bite before James can get it back. "I'm having a shower."

"I'm surprised you know how!" James calls as Duke shuts the bathroom door.

Duke and James meet Nathan and Audrey by the car 20 minutes later, James another piece of toast down.

"You good?" Nathan asks, his question directed at Duke.

Duke nods. "Yeah."

Audrey's driving, since she knows the address, and Nathan's in the passenger seat, leaving Duke and James in the back. Duke's quiet to begin with, his head resting in the palm of his hand as he stares out the window. His usual outwardly playful demeanour is nowhere to be found and Nathan suspects Duke's questioning what they're doing, despite his assurance earlier that he was fine.

He manages to get Duke's attention and meets his eyes in his visor mirror. "Today's going to go fine, Duke."

Duke barely moves his mouth as he talks. "How am I supposed to be a role model when the one I had growing up was barely there?"

"You do the opposite," James says instead. "You do what he didn't. You be there, for starters."

Nathan speaks next. "Duke, you're better than your father. You always have been, no matter how much you think differently. You may share the same blood as Simon but you don't share anything else. You're you, and that'll be enough."

Duke ducks his head, a pale red tinge starting around his neck. Genuine, honest-to-god, compliments take a while to get used to. "How long until we're there?" he asks Audrey, trying to mask the growing blush.

"A few minutes," she answers. She turns onto a road that has suburban houses decked out on either sides of the road, white picket fences outlining each of them. Most of them are one storey, save for one on the right side. Audrey pulls into its driveway a minute later, and parks beside a similar looking car to the one they're driving. The house itself is the most modern on its street; whereas the other houses are brick or board, this one looks like concrete that's been painted. The stair case leading to the second storey can been seen through a clear window in the centre of the house and the curved window to the left of it has its blinds open enough so that you can into their lounge room.

Duke's jaw is almost to the ground as he climbs out. "This house is insane," he manages to get out, making his way toward the garage door. He waits for the others.

Audrey nods, joining him by the front of the car. "Abby told me a little about the family. They both come from old money but were able to build on it and make their own. Olivia, the mom, was brought up in Haven but her parents died in a house fire when she was 10 and she had to go live with her aunt. The dad, Trent, was born in Haven but his family moved away a few days later." She gives Duke a quick shoulder squeeze. "They're good people."

"How'd they meet if they both moved away?"

"Trent's uncle had a birthday party a few years back in Haven and Olivia's best friend was his daughter so that's how they met. They hit it off and have been together ever since."

James and Nathan have joined them by the car and they begin to walk to the front door. "Do they know about…you know?" James asks.

Audrey shrugs a little. "I'm not sure how much they know, to be honest."

The four of them stand in a single line when they reach the door. Audrey's at the forefront with James bringing up the back and Nathan's behind Audrey which leaves Duke between the two male Wuornos'. Duke doesn't know how it appears in his brain but he thinks that if he was going to battle, there isn't a group of people he'd rather do it with.

Audrey knocks politely on the door and Duke takes in a sharp breath. He feels James' hand tap his shoulder and sees Nathan unconsciously take a step back and he knows that no matter what happens inside this house, he's going to be fine.

~/xx\~

 **As I mentioned above, I am 100% planning on having this story finished within the next few months so please follow if you enjoy! I love you all.**

 **Shannon**


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